November President's Report

My friends welcome to the damp weather where we pursue other activities and hope to get out on our bikes in the dry times.  Hard-core cyclists will continue to ride to work and enjoy other activities.  I spend more time in the gym and hiking.   Some of us will find drier, warmer places to ride.

This past month I had the pleasure of attending the Washington State Trails Conference in Wenatchee.  Steve Brown,  Shayla Miles and Breanna Fokes from Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition were there too promoting our trails and efforts to connect them.  Since the White River Bridge Opening celebration,  I had the thought of mapping out a Southern Route for the Cross State Trail.  You can make it all the way to South Bend from the Palouse to Cascades Trail.  You can find camping on the trail including Kanasket Palmer State Park,  South Prairie RV Park, Tenino City Park and Rainbow Falls State Park .  South Prairie RV Park camping should be available in 2025 and the Spiketon Ditch Bridge should be back in operation. 

I am pleased to announce that we sent $500 checks to like minded organizations that support advocacy for us.  ForeverGreenTrails, Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition , 2nd Cycle, Downtown On the Go and Bikes4Kids.  If you have the means, please consider donations to these groups that help us so much.   I have provided in my Estate plans funding for ForeverGreenTrails and Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition. 

This fall I finally realized this is our 50th Anniversary as a club.  In 1974, our own Rich Walter was in the organizing meeting with Eldon Stratton and Harvey Lister.  Eldon owned the Schwinn Shop on South Tacoma Way and Harvey was a young bike mechanic.  As time went by, we had Bicycle Events that saw 1,800 cyclists in Orting and 600 cyclists on the Peninsula Metric Century Ride.  Steve and Phyllis Lay arrived about 1976 and kept our club together in all ways including the design of our jersey and many Tee shirts.   Steve and Phyllis took me to Minnesota on my first long bike trip.  There are many other stories these past 50 years about people keeping our club together.   Feel free to share them.

We’re looking forward to hosting another Pizza Party to celebrate our fifty years and to spend some time with you! We’re planning for Sunday, November 10, at Roundtable Pizza located at 2629 North Pearl, starting around noon.

In other news, Harry Simmons, our Ride Captain,  has decided to step down from his position.  Harry served for about three years and made positive efforts to train new Ride Leaders.  He also helped fill in on Special Events by spending alot of time painting Dan Henry marks for the turns.  We are grateful for his service.

We need a New Ride Captain,  a Special Events Coordinator and a Community and Government Relations Director.  Please feel free to join up and run for election. 

Please be safe out there.